Love beyond the mask ( Whitney )
Chapter 910

celebration. How's that for a silver lining?"

Barclay leaned in, his proposition hanging in the air like a thick fog. "Marry me, and I can make the Caldwell family drop their lawsuit against your dad. He gets out of prison, and just like that, your family ties with the Doonans. What was once a tragedy turns into a He loomed closer, lifting her chin with a chuckle that echoed off the walls.

Tiana was gobsmacked. She had tried to anticipate Barclay's demands on her way over but had never imagined this ludicrous proposal.

Barclay, wanting her for a wife? That couldn't be right. A man of his reputation wouldn't waste a second glance on someone he deemed worthless. There had to be more to his scheme.

Her confusion deepened into suspicion. Shrugging off his grip, she hissed, "What's your game, Barclay? Forcing a marriage out of the blue? You're not interested in me. Who's pulling your strings?" Barclay's eyes narrowed, observing her bewildered expression with a mix of mockery and a strange hint of pity. His laughter grew darker. "Smart girl. I'm in cahoots with Endora. Get it now?"

Tiana's shock turned into a cold fury. Again, Endora. She had tried to steer clear of that woman's path, to disentangle herself from any drama.

But as Whitney always said, avoidance only invites further intrusion. Tiana had stepped back, yet Endora remained relentless, pushing her into a corner, aiming to uproot her entirely.

Tiana felt a chill seep into her bones, anger and hatred bubbling up.

"Endora's about to marry Parker. She's won, but she still sees you as a threat, worried you might ruin her perfect little setup. Only by marrying me can she rest easy, ensuring Parker has completely turned his back on you before their big day," Barclay whispered cruelly. Tiana stood frozen, her rage nearly palpable.

To corner her, Endora had orchestrated a convoluted plot, dragging Tiana's cousin and then her father into a legal nightmare.

Did Endora's family even possess a shred of decency? That was her uncle, her father's brother!

Endora, you've crossed the line by targeting my father.

Her eyes blazed, reason giving way to raw emotion.

Barclay, noticing her breakdown, faltered, realizing the extent of her desperation. "Listen, I've struck a deal with Endora, promising me benefits beyond my wildest dreams. I'm after the Doonan legacy!"

He scoffed, "Parker's got a wealthy uncle; he hardly needs the Doonan influence in Banyan City. He's set either way."

Barclay's gaze returned to Tiana's pallid face. "Look, the Doonans have been on my case to settle down. I've played the field long enough. Marrying you kills three birds with one stone. Sure, your background's a mess, but I'm not picky. Our child would satisfy my old man, and that's enough for me."

His tone then dropped, laden with insinuation, "You'll fulfill your duties as my wife, till I'm sick of you. Don't even think about playing the saint; I know you've got it in you."

His leering made Tiana's skin crawl, but she understood his angle. Marrying her presented no downside for him, merely a step to appease Endora.

As for what Endora offered him, Tiana couldn't care less.

Endora...

Clutching her fists so tight her nails drew blood, Tiana stepped out of the room, Barclay's voice trailing after her, "You've got no other choice!"

"Maybe," she retorted, "but I can ensure Endora regrets her choices now."

With newfound strength, she shrugged off his grasp, leaving him stunned by her ferocity.

Her laughter, as she headed for the elevator, bordered on hysteria, a stark contrast to her grim determination.

"Where do you think you're going?" Barclay called out.

Ignoring him, Tiana pressed the elevator button, her cold gaze slicing through him one last time before the doors closed.

Barclay watched, conflicted, as she descended, his threat hanging in the air, "Think fast! Your dad's heart won't wait forever. Marrying me is your quickest out."

-

Tiana found out Endora was hospitalized at the Doonan Hospital. Scrolling through the news, she learned of Endora's attempted suicide upon her return to Banyan City. Now, the entire city buzzed with the scandal of Endora's miscarriage three years prior for Parker,

leaving her infertile.

And now, her suicide attempt had left her with a permanently damaged right hand.

Tiana couldn't help but smirk at the news, her amusement fading only when she saw Parker had rushed back to be by Endora's side.

Shutting off her phone, she stepped out of the taxi, her thoughts a whirlwind of vengeance and despair.

She knew she was being irrational.

But what need did she have for rationality at this moment?

She made her way through the hospital corridors, navigating directly to the private room where Endora was staying. She waited with patience until the nurse inside stepped out before she turned the doorknob and entered quietly.

Endora had just had her medication administered and was getting her hands bandaged. She was on the phone with a contact from the press, "So, how's the buzz about my 'suicide attempt' going... hold on, Mom, is that you coming in?"

Her room was more of a luxury suite than a hospital ward, a sign of her status. She peered outside.

The figure at the door made her freeze in shock.

Tiana stood there, disheveled and drenched from the rain, her eyes dark and haunting as she stared at Endora, resembling a ghostly apparition.

"Ah..." Endora let out a piercing scream.

Tiana approached with a sinister smile, coming to the side of the bed. A mix of cold laughter and breaking sobs hovered over Endora as Tiana reached out and grabbed her throat, pushing her down onto the bed. Her nails dug in, eyes blazing with fury. "My dad is your uncle, Endora. Since you've lost all humanity, I guess it's up to me to play the avenger!

You thought you could mess with my family and I'd just roll over? Think again, bitch! It's time for you to meet your maker."